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2014 CHINESE BRIDGE SPEECH COMPETITION

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWS

STAGE DE NOUMÉA 2014

YOUNG AMBASSADORS’ TRIP

DELF SCOLAIRE 2014

FRENCH LANGUAGE NEWS

NZGSE EXCHANGE—STANLEY HOLT

GERMAN SCHOLARSHIPS

GERMAN LANGUAGE NEWS

REX PROGRAMME TEACHER”S

REPORT

UPCOMING EVENTS

JAPANESE LANGUAGE NEWS

NZALT CONFERENCE

ILEP INITIATIVE

LIA AWARDS 2014

PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

SPANISH & CINEMA

WORKSHOP

IMMERSION SCHOLARSHIP

SPANISH LANGUAGE NEWS

NEWSLETTER

Vol. 3 | 23 May 2014

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Chinese Language News

On May 17, the Confucius Institute welcomed 29

student contestants at Victoria University of Wel-

lington for this year’s Chinese Bridge Speech

Competition. The students from schools all

around New Zealand presented their skills in front

of parents, teachers and principals as well as dele-

gates from the Confucius Institutes, Chinese Em-

bassy and Chinese Consulates. They were judged

by an expert panel led by the National Adviser for

Chinese.

These 29 students, from:

Samuel Marsden Collegiate school (4),

Columba College (4),

Diocesan School for Girls (2),

Lincoln High School (2),

Westlake Boys’ High school (2),

Westlake Girls’ High school (1),

Christchurch Boys High(1),

Christchurch Girls High(1),

Mount Albert Grammar School(1),

Rotorua Boys’ High,

MacLean’s College (1),

Kelston Girls College (1),

St Peter’s College,

Wellington College (1),

Takapuna Normal Intermediate(1),

Kristin School (1),

Auckland Boys Grammar (1),

St Kevin’s College (2),

Tauranga Girls College(1)

competed in the Intermediate (14 contestants)

and Senior categories (15 contestants). The first

prize in senior category went to Luke Butler (Mt

Albert Grammar), Shannon Couper (Tauranga

Girls’) and Ashvini Navaratnam (Samuel

Marsden). Kathryn Robinson (Diocesan School for

Girls) won the first prize in the intermediate cate-

gory.

There were two outstanding features in the

speech competition this year. One is that about

80% of contestants have been to China either for

a long time stay or short time visit. This contrib-

utes to their confidence and profi-

ciency of speaking Chinese. An-

other feature is that four contest-

ants come from three schools that

do not formally offer Chinese to

their students.

This year, the first prize winner is

really lucky. He will not only go to

China to attend the Chinese

Bridge Speech Competition Finals,

but also has received $500 from

NZ China Council for his excellent

performance.

Chinese Bridge Speech Competition is an interna-

tional competition organized by Hanban, the Con-

fucius Institute Headquarter; Chinese Embassy

collaborating with Confucius Institutes cross the

world.

Chinese Bridge Speech Competition New Zealand 2014

29 Mandarin-

speaking

students from

around New

Zealand

participated in

the New Zealand

Chinese Bridge

Speech

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Upcoming

National

Advisor

Workshops

1 May – Labour Day

4 May – Youth Day

1 June – Children’s Day

2 June – Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival 端午 节

Dragon Boat Festival or duānwǔ jié 端午 节 occurs

on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese

lunar calendar. In 2014 it will take place on 2 June.

This festival commemorates the death of the poet

and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC). Celebra-

tions involve eating sticky rice dumplings (zòng

zi 粽 子), drinking realgar wine (xiónghuángji 雄

黃酒)and racing dragon boats (lóng chuán 龙 船).

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Holidays &

Festivals

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French Language News

Eleven French teachers recently participated in

a three-week long immersion and study

experience in Nouméa led by ILEP.

Nouméa is the capital city of New Caledonia

and is a little piece of France in the South

Pacific.

The teachers came from Otago Girls’ High

School (Dunedin), Birkdale North School (North

Shore Auckland), Wanganui High School

(Wanganui), Sutton Park School (Mangere East,

Auckland), Northcote College (Northcote,

Auckland), St John’s College (Hastings), Waikato

Waldorf School (Hamilton), Fergusson

Intermediate School (Upper Hutt, Wellington),

Central Southland College (Winton), Wellington

Girls’ College (Wellington), Sacred Heart Girls’

College (Hamilton).

As part of their professional development,

teachers observed lessons in schools, engaged

in an intensive intercultural programme and

attended formal language classes at the

University of New Caledonia. They also

benefitted from cultural and language

immersion through homestays with families in

Nouméa.

The professional learning development

programme was a resounding success. The

participants were eager to share some of their

feedback on their experience of Stage de

Nouméa.

Stage de Nouméa 2014

French teachers visit a little piece of France in the South Pacific to develop their language and cultural knowledge

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Stage de Nouméa 2015

It was an eye-opening experience to discover a franco-

phone culture outside France, rich in customs, traditions and

history. I made the most of my ‘stage’ to learn the colloqui-

al language and idiomatic expressions typical for the is-

land.

I used rugby as a pathway for my inquiry. I found a local

team where I assisted training and coached them before a com-

petition game.

Being able to step out of the usual tourist attractions and visit

the “Province Nord” allowed us a unique insight to New

Caledonia – the lives of the people, their unique natural envi-

ronment, workplaces, and industry.

The sharing of languages and culture was a very natural

thing to do.

This was a wonderful cultural, language and pedagogi-

cal experience.

The Nouméa programme provided an excellent social ex-

perience with homestay families ensuring that we could wid-

en our intercultural horizons.

3 weeks language immersion has revived my French, al-

lowed me to extend my vocab and improve fluency.

I realised that NZ is not just a little country in the Pacific nor a

little brother of Australia but that we are part of a large Pa-

cific family of many nations, many languages and

many cultures.

This was a brilliant opportunity to investigate our views

and assumptions about another culture through our

own inquiry and experiences.

I was able to put the language into context and use it

100% of the time, in fact I had no choice than to become a

real language user rather than a language learner.

Students in my school in Nouméa have written to my students

in NZ, this is good preparation for an exchange arrange-

ment.

If you are interested in participating, applications for the 2015 programme open in November 2014. For more information on the application process, have a look at http://www.ilep.ac.nz/pld-opportunities/pld-opportunities-abroad/french-programmes/stage-de-noumea

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DELF Scolaire 2014

A reminder to all teachers to inform students about DELF Scolaire.

Interested students must submit individual enrolment forms and

fees to their teachers. The deadline for student enrolments is 12

September 2014.

For more information on DELF Scolaire, go to www.french.ac.nz

French Foreign Language Assistant

Appointments – 2014

Expressions of interest are invited from schools to employ a French Language Assistant

for the school year 2014. The scheme is available to all schools teaching at secondary,

intermediate and primary level.

For further information and to request the application form, please contact Dmitry

Mitenkov by 5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at programmes@ilep.ac.nz

More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/LanguageAssistants/

ForeignLanguageAssistantAppointments.aspx

Young Ambassadors’ Trip

Shared histories is about students in NZ schools part-

nering with students in French schools to carry out pro-

jects of remembrance for the duration of the commem-

oration period 2014-2018.

On 11 July 2014, the Young Ambassadors will be de-

parting for a two-week trip to France. We wish them all

the best for the trip and look forward to learning more

about their experience when they return.

To follow this amazing voyage of inquiry, go to

www.sharedhistories.com

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8 May – Victory Day

29 May – Ascension Day

9 June – Whit Monday

21 June – Fête de la Musique

Attention French Teachers:

Are you a member of the NZAFT listserv?

If not: send a blank email, with SUBSCRIBE NZAFT in the subject line, to: sympa@lists.tki.org.nz

And are you using www.french.ac.nz?

Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale as it is

known in France, is celebrated on 14 July

each year.

This French National Day commemorates

the start of the French Revolution with

the storming of Bastille on 14 July 1789 as

well as the Fête de la Fédération on the

14 July 1790. Celebrations are held all

over France and include military parades

and fireworks.

For more information on Bastille Day

celebrations in New Zealand, go to

http://www.alliance-francaise.co.nz/

Bastille Day

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Upcoming

National

Advisor

Workshops

Holidays &

Festivals

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German Language News

Stanley Holt embarked on a two-an-a-half

month exchange programme to Germany from

2 December 2013 to 8 February 2014.

While on exchange, Stanley lived with a host

family and attended school with his host

brother. He was fully immersed in the culture

and quickly felt that he was ‘living’ in Germany

and was not just a tourist. He enjoyed walking

in the forest, cycling to nearby villages, and

exploring the town and nearby cities, such as

Nuremberg.

He spent Christmas and New Year in Germany.

Highlights of his Christmas break included

learning to play Christmas carols on the cello,

attending the opera, Tosca, introducing his

host family to the traditional Kiwi pavlova and

a whirlwind visit around Germany.

As part of Stanley’s exchange programme, he

attended Wintercamp in Northeim and Berlin

Camp, where he had an opportunity to meet

up with other exchange students from New

Zealand and Australia and be exposed to more

cultural experiences. A highlight of the camp

for Stanley was the reception at the New

Zealand Residence in Berlin, with H.E. Mr Peter

Rider, the New Zealand Ambassador to

Germany and H.E. Mr David Richie, the

Australian Ambassador to Germany where he

was asked to speak on his exchange

experience.

Stanley thoroughly enjoyed the exchange

programme and feels that it changed his life.

Through this programme, he has become more

independent and has a better comprehension

of people and places that exist outside his own

personal sphere.

NZGSE Exchange 2014 – Stanley Holt

German exchange programme broadens New Zealand student’s horizons

To attend,

please RSVP

to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Upcoming

National

Advisor

Workshops

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Heike Papenthin, the German National Advisor is travelling around New Zealand to conduct interviews with

New Zealand Year 12 students currently studying German. There are several scholarships available to stu-

dents of German every year.

The two main scholarships are awarded by The Society for New Zealand-German Student Exchange (NZGSE)

and the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD). The NZGSE scholarship provides secondary school students

with the opportunity to spend 10 weeks in Germany from November to February. The students in turn host

their German guest student in the following year from June to August.

The PAD - Educational Exchange Service- supports international secondary student exchanges in 90 nations.

Every year three students from New Zealand receive a scholarship to spend four weeks in Germany in the

German summer.

29 May – Ascension Day

May/June—Medieval Market

May/June—Knight Festival

8 –9 June – Whit Weekend

19 June – Corpus Christi Day

German Foreign Language Assistants Appointments – 2014

Expressions of interest are invited from schools to employ a German

Language Assistant for the school year 2014. The scheme is available

to all schools teaching at secondary, intermediate and primary level.

For further information and to request the application form, please

contact Dmitry Mitenkov by 5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at

programmes@ilep.ac.nz

More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/LanguageAssistants/

ForeignLanguageAssistantAppointments.aspx

The Long Night of Museums, or Lange Nacht der Museen, is a cultural event where museums and cul-

tural institutions in an area remain open late into the night. Visitors are given a common entrance pass

which gives them access to all exhibits as well as complimentary public transportation within the area.

The first Long Night of Museums event took place in Berlin in 1997. This year, the event takes place on

17 May. The event has been well received in Germany and as has spread to over 100 other cities

around the World, such as Argentina and the Philippines.

The Long Night of the Museums

German Scholarships

Holidays &

Festivals

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Japanese Language News

Kiyokazu Hatori, is a REX programme teacher. He worked as an assistant teacher for 15 months in Whakatane area and returned to Japan at the end of March. He reflected on his experience as a REX programme teacher and shared some of the highlights of his experience with us. I worked at three schools, Otakiri school, Edgecumbe college and Thornton school. I experienced some difficulty in my early days, but I enjoyed working there because I found they needed me and appreciated me.

At Otakiri school, I taught only Japanese. I am an English language teacher in Japan, so it was a challenging job, but all the teachers at Otakiri were always very supportive and that really helped me. I tried my best to make my Japanese lessons more interesting. Thankfully, about 90% students said they would like to continue their Japanese learning at secondary school. I am very happy to have such positive feedback toward my lessons.

At Edgecumbe college, I made some resources not only for a Japanese teacher and his students but also for the students who didn’t take Japanese lessons. I made three posters introducing Japanese greetings, food and J-pop cultures and put them on the wall of the library. Then, some students started greeting in Japanese to me. It was fantastic! I could give them the opportunities to become interested in Japanese language and cultures.

REX Programme Teacher’s Report

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At Thornton school, I helped the teacher, who joined the TPDL, as much as possible. I taught him Japanese after school and at his place as well. We could build a very good relationship. Before I came, Thornton school didn’t offer Japanese lessons, but now they have decided to continue Japanese lessons. That’s what I wanted and this result gave me fulfillment. Through my staying in New Zealand, I have learned a lot of things. This programme is very good for mutual understanding for New Zealand and Japanese teachers. I’d definitely like to help New Zealanders staying in Japan so that I could pay back to what New Zealanders have done for me here. The students at Otakiri School enjoyed their Japanese language and culture lessons with Kiyokazu Hatori and shared some of their exciting lessons.

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Kansai Two-Week Special Programme

ILEP is offering an opportunity for fully-registered current teachers of Japanese (Years 7-13) to attend a

two-week programme at the Japan Foundation Centre in Kansai, Japan. Term 3 holidays 2014:

29 September 2014 - 10 October 2014 Complete the ILEP application form.

The closing date for 2014 applications is 5 pm, 6 June 2014.

Application forms are available from Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Programmes Co-ordinator -

programmes@ilep.ac.nz.

Secondary School Speech Competition

June 13 Wellington July 1 Southland

Sydney International Conference on Japanese Language Education

(ICJLE)

July 10-12 University of Technology, Sydney

JAPANESE EVENTS

Upcoming

National

Advisor

Workshops

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

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5 May – Children’s Day

6 May – Greenery Day

21 July – Marine Day

The NZJEP Programme

Applications are now open for New Zealand Japan Exchange Grants Programme. The aim of this pro-

gramme is to deepen understanding between New Zealand and Japan on a broad educational and cul-

tural basis. International Languages Exchanges and Pathways (ILEP) administers the NZJEP programme.

Funding is available for projects that promote educational and cultural exchanges of educators, artists,

crafts persons and scholars.

The closing date for 2014 applications is 31 July 2014.

Application forms are available from Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Programmes Co-ordinator -

programmes@ilep.ac.nz.

Source: Wikipedia

Marine Day

Marine Day, or 海の日 Umi no Hi, is a Japa-

nese National Holiday celebrated on the third

Monday in July. In 2014 it will be held on 21

July. It is also known as "Ocean Day" or "Sea

Day" and the purpose of this holiday is to ob-

serve the importance of the ocean and to

give thanks to the ocean’s bounty. In Japan,

many people take advantage of this holiday

by taking a trip to the beach.

Holidays &

Festivals

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Spanish Language News

On 9 and 10 May we

held a very successful

workshop on Spanish

and Cinema at the Uni-

versity of Canterbury,

Christchurch. The work-

shop was open to all

levels of Spanish teachers and aimed to train

teachers in the use of cinema as a pedagogical

tool in the Spanish language classroom. By using

cinema as a pedagogical tool, teachers can de-

velop students’ linguistic ability their cultural

awareness of Spanish-speaking cultures around

the world.

On Friday, 9 May the participants were provided

with a general introduction to film techniques

and explanation of critical vocabulary to discuss

cinema in Spanish. On Saturday, 10 May, La Len-

gua de las Mariposas was screened and included

a general presentation of the cultural and his-

torical context of the film, followed by a group

film sequence analysis and a guided discussion

on the major points of interest, the representa-

tion of cultural ideas and identities, and relevant

historical and political issues. Workshop partici-

pants were given opportunities to prepare ped-

agogical exercises to enhance students’ cultural

awareness and communication skills.

National Debate

Competition

On 27 June there will be a new edition of

the National Debate competition for stu-

dents of Spanish that STANZA is organizing

once again. The teachers of Spanish are

working very hard to make sure their stu-

dents are ready and several language assis-

tants are also helping a lot.

More information go to http://www.stanza.org.nz/

Spanish Foreign Language Assistant

Appointments – 2014

Expressions of interest are invited from schools to

employ a Spanish Language Assistant for the

school year 2014. The scheme is available to all

schools teaching at secondary, intermediate and

primary level.

For further information and to request the appli-

cation form, please contact Dmitry Mitenkov by

5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at

programmes@ilep.ac.nz

More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/

LanguageAssistants/

Spanish & Cinema Workshop

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On 23 May we are having a pre-departure course for the eleven teachers of Spanish we have selected

to take a two-week immersion course at the University of Salamanca, Spain. These 11 teachers will fly

to Spain early in July. At the same time, there will be two more teachers who have also received a

scholarship to take another two-week immersion course at Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pe-

layo (Santander), Spain. These two teachers have just been selected and will fly to Spain at the end of

July.

The Spanish Immersion Scholarship aims to help participants improve their Spanish language and cul-

tural knowledge and teaching skills through a customised pedagogical programme for New Zealand

teachers. This two-week immersion programme is offered to New Zealand teachers of Spanish at the

prestigious University of Salamanca, Spain.

Applications for 2015 will open in February 2015. Contact Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Pro-

grammes Co-ordinator at programmes@ilep.ac.nz

11 May - Feria del Caballo

17 May - Galicia Literature Day

31 May - Castie – La Mancha

9 June - Murcia/La Rioja

19 June - Corpus Christi

24 June - Festival of St John the Bap-

tist

25 June - Feast of St James

6 – 14 July - Running of the Bulls

25 July - Feast Day of St James

28 July - Institution Day

The Running of the Bulls, encierro, is an eight-day festival that takes place in some towns and villages in Spain, Portu-gal, Mexico and Peru. The most famous event takes place in Pamplona, Spain. The event involves running in front of a small group of bulls that have been let loose on a designated course on a sec-tioned-off subset of the streets in a town or village. The tradition is said to have begun in the 14th century. The Running of the Bulls takes place from 6 to 14 July in 2014.

Spanish Immersion Scholarship 2015

The Running of the Bulls

Holidays &

Festivals

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Professional Development

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